The Electric Guitar Review

Entries Tagged as '12 String Guitar'

Epiphone Guitar announced the release of the Limited Edition Roy Orbison 12-String Signature Acoustic model. Produced in cooperation with the legendary singer/songwriter Roy Orbison’s estate, the model is based upon Roy’s own 1962 Epiphone “Bard” 12-string acoustic guitar. Orbison used his original Epiphone acoustic to write and perform many of his most well-known songs including perhaps his biggest hit, “Oh, Pretty Woman.”

Legendary Instrument
A faithful reproduction of the 1962 Bard, this rich sounding 12-string features a solid spruce top with hand-scalloped bracing, a solid mahogany back, a rosewood 12-string bridge and vintage tuners. As an added touch of authenticity, Epiphone adds the a replica of the original blue rectangular sound hole label used during the famous Kalamazoo, MI years.

For this limited edition release, the back of the guitar’s headstock includes a replica of Roy Orbison’s signature and the notation for the first measure of the famous song’s introduction riff. Also included is a hard case with Roy’s signature and “sunglass” icon on it, a certificate of authenticity hand signed by Barbara Orbison and Roy’s son Roy Orbison Jr., a black and white photo of Roy with his original Epiphone Bard 12-string, a sunglass lapel pin and a copy of the “Oh Pretty Woman” sheet music. The certificate and photo come in a leatherette presentation binder.

This guitar broke all the rules of traditional styling when it appeared amid the ‘British’ sound of the 1960’s. Subtly updated through the years, this deluxe hollow body with its special contour around the entire body perimeter is still perhaps the most comfortable guitar of all. The bound body and Rosewood fingerboard, inlayed with triangular pearled markers, provide an exceptionally attractive appearance. Stereo output is standard. Click here for more info!

Feature:
The electronics are solid and the pickups clean and transparent. The only “accessory” was the hardshell case, which you will want to have if you’re doing gigs. As far as features, it has a fixed bridge and both stereo and mono outputs, which is pretty cool.

Well balanced so it is easy to handle. The neck is narrow for a 12 string guitar which you like. Great sound however, just like most 12 string guitars it is a little difficult to Tune. More experience with tuning it will help. Click here for features!

Quality:
This product is incredible, despite its semi hollow body it can take a lot of beating. Look, for instance, at the way Tom Gabel of Against Me! Plays his on tour!

Sound:
The Tone is superb, ringing tones of velvet notes and chords. This is why the Beatles, etc used this type of guitar.

Ease of Use:
This is the easiest-to-play guitar that’s ever graced your calloused fingers. The neck is rosewood, so it’s easy to slide up and down the neck with relative ease. This has a nice range of high and low tones, very playable, the action is just right.

Desirability:
The so-called sex appeal of a Rickenbacker is like the sex appeal of a classic muscle car. Maybe a young kid driving around in a Honda Civic won’t like it, as he tosses his Korean-made Epiphone in the trunk, but the rest of us know American Quality when we see it.

This guitar has a very classic look that you immediately identify with the great artists that have used Rickenbackers before: George Harrison, Sam Cooke, Tom Petty, and Buck Owens just to name a few. This might not be the guitar for people that dig “Pantera,” but it is a beautiful instrument.

Overall:
It’s simply perfection. It is playable different models. Once you play a “RICK”, there is no turning back.